- Says Fubara is a Bad Brother
By Abiola Olawale
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri has revealed how the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike facilitated his appointment into the cabinet of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Lokpobiri made this revelation while speaking at the weekend at an event organised in honour of Wike by the Ijaw Peoples Congress (IPC) in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.
According to him, his nomination and appointment process started in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and ended in Abuja, with Wike playing a huge role in it.
He said: “It is important to tell you, my brothers and sisters, that I that is standing before you today as the minister of state for petroleum resources was also made possible by Nyesom Wike.
“You also heard the account of the MD of the NDDC who said that the minister of the FCT played a direct role in his appointment.
“My case could have been a more direct role. Some of you may not know. It all started in Wike’s house in Port Harcourt, and it all concluded in his house in Abuja.
“My second journey of becoming a minister started at the house of the minister in Port Harcourt and it was concluded in his house in Abuja. I need to complete this history.
“Because when I was looking at the welcome address, our names were not included among those who have benefitted from his benevolence. I thought that my name, Heineken Lokpobiri, would have been included amongst those that he has helped.
“But since my name is not included, I have to complete it. I want you, Ijaw people, to know that we have a brother, we have a friend.”
Lokpobiri, who hails from Bayelsa State also took a swipe at Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State accusing him of ingratitude and lack of appreciation.
The Minister who appealed to the Ijaw people to embrace Wike, describing him as a “good friend”, while describing Fubara as a “bad brother”.
The New Diplomat reports that the event was held in the wake of the acrimonious relationship between Wike and Fubara as the battle for the soul of Rivers State politics continue to escalate and oscillate between these two warring political blocs in the oil rich state.
He continued: “It is always better to have a good friend than to have a bad brother. Of what use is a bad brother? It is of no use. But if you have a good friend in the case of the FCT minister, you are already blessed.
“Your Excellency, the FCT minister, let me, on behalf of the Ijaw people all over the world, express our gratitude to you for your show of love to the Ijaw people.
“We Ijaw people are very grateful people. If you do us good, we will not pay you back with evil. So, we will always be grateful to you for what you have done for our Ijaw people. We are looking forward to you doing more for our Ijaw people.”
Lokpobiri, who hails from Bayelsa, served as minister of state for agriculture and rural development between 2015 to 2019 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He was appointed minister of state for petroleum resources (Oil) by Tinubu in August 2023, the same time Wike was named FCT minister.
